Thursday, March 27, 2008

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, flanked by his model wife Carla Bruni, was greeted with pomp by Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday for the first French state visit in more than a decade.Prince Charles and Princess Camilia had greeted and welcomed the French glamorous first couple at the airport (see pic below), whose visit comes weeks after they married following a high-profile, whirlwind romance.Dressed in a demure gray coat and wearing a small, stylish hat, Carla Bruni smiled politely and curtsied as she shook hands with the Queen and then chatted animatedly with the monarch's 86-year-old husband, Prince Philip. (see pic below)Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Windsor said they had come to see not only the Queen but also Carla Bruni, a former fashion model born in Italy who has also enjoyed a successful career as a singer and songwriter. (see pic below)As a band played and flags were waved, the French couple and the Queen and Prince Philip were taken into the grounds of Windsor Castle in horse-drawn carriages, where they inspected a parade of marching royal guardsmen. Bystanders were thrilled at the spectacle.

The couple will spend the night at the castle, just outside of London. (see pic below)The Queen, who speaks fluent French, and Sarkozy, who speaks little English, chatted politely as they walked in the courtyard of Windsor Castle, while multi-lingual Carla Bruni and Prince Philip were more animated in their discussions (see pic below).As they stood in a line, Carla Bruni, who is 5 foot 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall, towered over her husband, who at around 5 foot 5 inches is much closer in height to the Queen.Some British newspapers had greeted the arrival of France's head of state by publishing pictures of his wife, Carla posing naked for a fashion shoot more than 15 years ago.

And most eyes and cameras were on Carla Bruni, who Sarkozy married just four months after he divorced his second wife Cecilia.

After months of often damaging headlines at home, Sarkozy may be hoping that images of him in royal surroundings, will stand him in better stead.